Spanish olive jars in Campeche: Preliminary chemical characterization and provenance identification of early modern transport vessels in the Yucatán Peninsula (Mexico)

Abstract

Olive jars, also known asbotijas, were used during the early modern period to ship products between Spain and its colonies. Studies of their provenance allow direct insight into the commercial networks that were in operation in any given region. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was conducted on 49 fragments recovered from recent excavations at the port of Campeche in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. The results show that a great majority of the samples have a shared origin. Comparison of the resulting geochemical data with other INAA data sets of bothbotijasand majolica made it possible to assign provenance to this main group of Campeche specimens: the Sevillian suburb of Triana. We have not yet found evidence in Campeche to support that smuggling, alternate and more popular trade routes from the Canary Islands, or the start of free, direct trade with several peninsular Spanish ports initiated by the Bourbon reforms demanded the production of these containers in places other than Seville. Evidence for the latter may be found in Late Style specimens, which may have escaped our sampling.